Keep Your Mom From Falling For a Scam
A quarter of older adults who were scammed report that the initial point of contact was a phone call. Around 15% originated on social media. These are two of the ways scams originate, but there are many others. An in-home care provider is one of the best ways to prevent your mom from falling for a scammer’s story.
Here are some tips she must know on how to avoid falling for a scam.
In-Home Care Farmington MI – Keep Your Mom From Falling For a Scam
Use a Shredder
When your mom gets credit card applications or is disposing of old bills or bank statements, she shouldn’t just recycle them or throw them away. She needs to shred them. A shredder that cuts vertically and horizontally is best. That keeps scammers from getting hold of information that can convince your mom that they’re genuine.
Never Trust a Caller
It’s best if your mom doesn’t answer her phone unless she’s certain she knows the caller. If she does and it appears to be a scam, she needs to quickly identify scams. Many scammers use threats and urgency to pull off a scam.
If someone tells your mom police are on their way, make sure she knows that police wouldn’t warn her that they’re coming to arrest her. The IRS isn’t going to demand payment over the phone or through gift cards.
Use Privacy Settings
If your mom has social media accounts, she needs to set her privacy settings. She should disallow any requests from people who are not her immediate friends. People must get approval to get added as a friend. If she doesn’t know a person, she doesn’t need to friend them or respond to messages a stranger sends.
As a side note to this, a celebrity is not going to randomly friend your mom. One recent scam was of an older woman who believed she’d been friended by a popular actor. She was sending him gift cards when he requested them. It’s hard to believe someone would believe something like this, but it still happens. Make sure your mom knows this type of scam exists.
Sign Up For Informed Delivery
Sometimes, thieves grab new credit cards from mailboxes and use them fraudulently. With informed delivery, your mom gets advanced notice when the card is going to her mailbox.
Your mom or her in-home care aide could meet the postal worker at the mailbox and keep it from being stolen. If it was delivered, and your mom doesn’t see it in her mailbox, she can report it immediately.
Install a Doorbell Camera
Some scammers will go door to door hoping to find a victim. Install a doorbell camera at your mom’s home and intercept people who ring her bell. If someone is claiming to be doing roofing work in the area and extending an immediate discount if she pays 50% right now, you can send them away and keep your mom from falling for this common home improvement scam.
Make Sure Your Mom Isn’t Lonely
With in-home care, she’ll have regular companionship, which removes her desire to talk longer to a stranger she meets online or who calls her randomly. Call our in-home care specialist to learn more about companionship services.
Sources: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/data-visualizations/data-spotlight/2022/12/who-experiences-scams-story-all-ages
If you or an aging loved one is considering In-Home Care Services in Farmington MI please contact the caring staff at No Place Like Home Health, LLC today. 734-259-4200
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